Coal elevating and conveying apparatus



Dec. 1, 1925- R. MacEACHEN COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS FiledAug. '7. 1923 Fig. 2

6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ROJC r/cA M C 426 .4611,

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Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,387

R. M EACHEN COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '7. 1923 6Sheets-Sheet 2 Ch 0' m N o m C R. M EACHEN COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYINGAPPARATUS Dec. 1, 1925. 1,563,387

Filed Aug. 7, 1923 6 Sheets-Sheet, 5

Pay.

Dec. 1, 1925- 1,563,387

R. M EACHEN COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. '7. 1923 6Sheets-Sheet 4 Roderick Mac gacAer-l 021 Hot arm neq Dec. 1, 1925- 71,563,387 R. M EACHEN COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed Aug.'2, 192:" 6 sheets-sheet 5 L In 1!? to .l Q 1 'r\ R. M cEACHEN COALELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS Dec. 1, 1925- Filed Aug. '7. 1923 6Sheets-Sheet G Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcs,

COAL ELEVATING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 7, 1923.

erally flexible conveying apparatus capable of sinuous movement toconform with wind ing mine passages where the machine 15 operated; andto provlde novel means for dumping the coal at a given-point or atvarying portions of the elevator into the conveyor beneath. It is alsothe ob ect of my invention to provide novel means foradvancing the coalelevating mechanism as the work progresses and to extend its range ofoperations both forwardly and laterally. It is also an object of myinvention to provide novel means for shifting a conveyor rollablysupported from a train of cars to an overhead track, and to provide anovel form of overhead track for this purpose.

It is also an object of my invention to provide novel means for dumpingcoal or other materials from an overhead conveyor continuously into atrain of cars, filling first one car and then the next succeeding car,without requiring any shifting of the position of the train itself; toprovide novel dumping doors in connection with the conveyor apparatusand elevator apparatus, with novel means for operating same; and toprovide other improved details of construction. I attain these and otherobjects of my invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in WhlCh- "I.

Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the overhead track which I haveinvented for receiving my conveying apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a top plan of the conveyor and elevator; I

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section, partly in elevation, of myelevator;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section approximate- 1y on line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of members 6 and 8;

Serial No. 656,188.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged vertical section, partly in elevationapproximately on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 isa top plan of the conveying apparatus;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of same;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged vertical section showing in detail the improvedconstruction of the conveyor;

Fig. 11 is a bottom plan view of the dumping doors for both the conveyorand the elevator and the means for operating them;

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of the conveyor stretching device;

Fig. 13 is a side elevation of same;

Fi 14 is a horizontal section approximatey on the line 1414 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 15 is a vertical section approximately on the line 15-15 of Fig.14;

Fig. 16 is a section, enlarged, on line 1616 of Fig. 15.

Like characters of reference indicate. like parts in'each of the severalviews.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and particularly to Figs. 3 and4, I provide an elevator 1 consisting of endless chains havingoppositelypositioned spaced paddles 2, the chains being mounted onsuitable pairs of sprockets 5 at each end-of the elevating apparatus,one of these pairs of sprockets being idlers, and the other drivingsprockets. I rovide a suitable shovel member 3 attache to the lower endof the elevator 6 this shovel member being pro- .Vided with outwardlflared flanges 4 to protect the conveyor lades. The flanges 4 whichslant towards the center of the conveyor allow the coal to slide intothe conveyor. The elevator is also provided'with a series of bottomtelescopically sliding plates as shown in Fig. 6, these plates beingarranged at the end of the elevator which extends over and dischargesinto the conveyor.

Elevator 1 is mounted on angle plates 46 which are slidably mounted onrollers 8, and asliding arrangement in the power drive is provided whichincludes shafts 7 affixed to the elevator and moving with it and onwhich the power gears 14 which drive the elevator chains are slidablymounted. The sliding gears 14 mesh with sprocket wheels 12 which in turnare driven by chains 10 operatively connected with the motor 20 and aworm wheel drive. The sprockets 12 are mounted on a transverse shaft 13(Fig. 4).

For shifting the elevator forward or rearward, I provide ram operatingmeans, as shown in Fig. 5 said means including chains 16. Each chain hasone end attached to the rear end of ram bar 50, the chain going aroundthe idler sprocket 51 at the front end of the elevator supporting frameand returning to the rear end where chain sprocket 18- furnishes thepower for the.

movement of the rams. The other end of the chain is fastened to asuitable spring con nection 17 which acts as a buffer when movement ofthe rams is reversed. The ram bars 50 press the shovel member 3 forward,while chains 16 withdraw it.

I provide stationary roller 15 positioned under the elevator 6 forautomatically lift-.- ing the elevator when the elevator and shovel aremoved rearwards.

Coal is discharged from the rearward end of the elevator into a suitablebin. 21 arranged at the forward end of the endless conveyor 22. Theelevator is not laterally flexible, but has an arcuate movement of 180,being pivoted on main shaft 19 for swinging movement horizontally.

Referring particularly to Fig. 10, 1 provide suitable housings 23 forthe endless conveyors 22, which conveyors are provided with oppositelypositioned spaced conveyor paddles 24. The housings 23 are made inhinged sections which afford the conveyor lateral flexibility. Thepaddles 24 are carried by endless chains 25 which travel in housings 23.Chains 25 are of novel construction having their links hinged to giveboth perpendicular and lateral flexibility.

As shown in Fig. 11, I provide suitable frames 26 to hold the conveyorhousings in place. I also provide the conveyor housings with suitableguides for roller bearings 27 and 29 mounted in a suitable roller box28. Roller bearings 27 control lateral movement of the conveyor andhorizontal rollers 29 on which the conveyors advance or recede, ascurvature of the train demands, takes care of vertical movement andeliminate sliding friction in the conveyor chains.

The frames 26 are provided with horizontally slidable doors 30 mountedon suitable rollers or ball bearings and manually operated by alazy-tongs type of lever 31, as shown in Fig. 11.

The endless conveyors 22 are mounted on or attached to the cars in anysuitable manner, this mounting or attachment being either on the top orsides of the cars as preferred the conveyors being freely movable on thecars to permit of their being switched onto a transferring track orsiding 32, as

the endless conveyor carried by the train of cars. To permit of theautomatic transfer of the conveyor 22 to the overhead transferring track32, the roadbed on which the tram travels is provided with a downwardincline 35 at a point in proximity to the end 33 of the overhead track32 as shown in Fig. 1.

For the purpose of taking slack in the endless conveyor I provide astretchin device which includes an overhead truer 36 suitably attachedto the motor operated hoist 35 as shown in Figs. 12 and 15. Cable 37 isoperatively connected with both strands or chains of the endlessconveyor in such a way that slack is taken up on one chain and let outon the other when the mine cars travel through or operate in a curved orwinding passage in the mine. The truck 36 is operatively connected'bycable 37 with the rear end of conveyor 22, as shown in Fig. 12, topermit of the operation above described.

In operation the elevator is shifted forward to the extent required asthe work progresses in scooping the coal into the elevator and thence tothe conveyor. The clevator being pivotally mounted may be swunglaterally over a range of half a circle. The forward operation of theelevator is effected by ram bars 50 and its rearward operation isobtained by means of chains 16 and members 17 and 18.

Goal is discharged into the bin 21 and carried along by the endlessconveyors 22 over a train of cars, thus permitting of continuouslyelevating the coal to the horizontal conveyor and continuouslydelivering the coal by the horizontal conveyors to one car after anotheralong the entire train of cars by simply operating the bottom horizontaldoors of the conveyor, thereby dumping the coal into successive carswithout requiring any shifting of the train of cars into any particularposition to permit of their being loaded with coal, or other material.

It will be observed that an important advantage is obtained by thisoperation inasmuch as it is continuous and ermits of the loading of anentire train 0 cars rapidly. As the conveyor has lateral flexibility myapparatus is capable of operating in curved or winding mine passages.When a train of cars has been filled with coal it can be drawn out andthe conveyor transferred automatically to the over track 32 in themanner illustrated in Fig. 1, and then picked up again from saidoverhead track when a train of empty cars is brought along on a returntrip.

In order that the conveyor 22 may function properly, I provide; thestretching apparatus shown in Figs. 13 and 14. This is necessary becausethe train of cars on which the conveyor 18 operatively mounted or at-,coupled, stop 'in a position requirin tached may, as the cars are notclosely;

suc adjustment of the conveyor. The met 0d of taking up slack in theconveyor involves the operation of the cable attachment (members 36, 37and 38) by means of the motor hoist on the rear power car. The equipmentof the rear power car includes sliding gears 40, slidably mounted onshafts 41 extending longitudinally of the car, as shown in the drawings,and operating in a manner similar to that of the slidable gears 14 ofthe front or elevator power car. The gears drive the conveyor chains.The rear power car is also provided with jaw clutches 42 which engagethe conveyor chain driving shaft 41. The stretching apparatus functionsto hold the flexible conveyor rigidly in any position in which the endshappen to be while it is in operation as a conveyor. The sliding gearsare made immobile or held against sliding movement by means of aclamping device 43 which includes a rod 44 which is oval in crosssection and which extends the full length of the sliding bearing trough,as shown in detail in Fig. 16. Rod 44 holds the bearing 45 stationarywhile the conveyor 22 is in operation.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a coal elevator, supporting meanson which said elevator is slidably mounted, chains attached to saidelevator, s rockets over which said chains travel, an power-controlledmeans for driving the sprockets to slide the elevator rearwardly.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a trainof mine cars, of a laterally flexible endless conveyor, and means forrollably supporting said conveyor for longitudinal movement on the minecars.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a trainof cars, of a laterally flexible endless conveyor, supported from thetrain of cars, an over head track having its end rails tapered andpositioned approximately in alignment with the top of the train of cars,whereby the overhead track will automatically function as atransferring. track for the endless conveyor when a train of cars is rununder it.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a trainof cars, of a laterally flexible endless conveyor, rollably supported onthe train of cars, an overhead track having its end rails positionedapproximately in alignment with the top of the train of cars, wherebythe overhead track will function automatically as a transferring trackfor the endless conveyor when a train of cars is run under said track.

5. In flexible conveyor, the combination of an endless chain, said chainhaving its links pivotally and hingedly connected to permit of bothperpendicular and lateral flexibility,

with housin s in which said endless chain travels, said musings beingmade in sections, the sections being hm edto each other to permit oflateral flexibility, paddles carried by links of the chains, the paddlesbeing oppositely positioned and roller bearings carried by the links ofthe chain to afford freely flexible'lateral movements of the conveyor,substantially as described.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a coal elevator cap-able ofarcuate movement power controlled means for forwardly operating saidelevator, power controlled means for rearwardly operating said elevator,and a stationary roller positioned on the base of the machine and underand in contact with the inclined floor of the elevator, for the purposeof lifting said elevator in its rearward movement and thus to swing itfree from the ground, and permit of an arcuate swinging movement.

'8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of anelevator, said elevator having a portion thereof horizontally disposed,means for forwardly and rearwardly operating said elevator, an endlessconveyor having its forward end extending a substan tial distance underthe horizontal portioh of I the aforesaid elevator, the elevator beingprovided with sliding bottom plates to enable it to discharge into saidconveyor whether the elevator be in its rearward "or in its forwardposition relative to the conveyor.

8. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of anelevator, shafts affixed to the upper end of the elevator and movabletherewith, means operating said shafts for moving the elevator forwardlyand rearwardly, gears driving the elevating mechanism, said gears beingslidably mounted on the aforesaid shafts to permit of free forward andrearward movement ofthe elevator without interruption to the operationof the elevating mechanism.

9. In an apparatus of the class described, a flexible conveyor supportedon and from a train of cars, said conveyor including spaced conveyingchains and paddles carried by said chains, means for giving lateralflexibility to the aforesaid mechanism, gears operating said conveyorchains, shafts supported in Stationary position on which said gears areslidably mounted, whereby the conveyor may be operated in any positionin which the gears at the ends of the conveyor happen to be whether thetrain of cars is on a curved or straight track.

10. In combination with the apparatus describedin claim 9, slidingbearings for the aforesaid sliding gear mechanism, and means forclamping and locking the mechanism in any given position.

11. In combination with the apparatus described in claim 9, a poweroperated strctchin device operatively connected with the mechanismoperating the conveyor chains.

12. In an apparatus of the class described,

5 the combination of a flexible conveyor com- )osed of separateelements, namely, flexible housing carrying endless chain and havingsectional and flexible bottoms to which said housing is slidablyattached, supported from 0 a train of cars, means for operatlng theconveyor in any iven position in which it may come to rest w ether thecars are on a curved or straight track, and a power operated stretchingdevice operatively connected with the conveyor at one end thereof forstretching the chain and housing elements of the conveyor into anoperative position-whenever required.

RODERICK MACEACHEN.

